Chapter 33
"Walk In The Woods"
I'd barely finished my breakfast when I got news that Mayo was here. I almost choked, but Pikachu helped me out.
Thanks, Pikachu.
"Pikachu…"
'Don't mention it…'
I decided that I'd had enough and went to go see Mayo.
"Hey, Ash, what'd you guys do yesterday anyway?" Misty asked before I could even leave the room.
Huh? I helped her train. What else would I do?
"…Okay…Mind if I help this time?"
Uh…No……
We went into the next room.
"Hi Asha!" Mayo said with a grin, "Are you feeling better?"
Yeah, I'm fine…um…You wanna head outside?
"Sure!"
"Eevee!"
'Yeah!'
I grinned. All right…I think today we might head out of town so you can catch more Pokémon. You're not going to win too many matches with just two Pokémon.
"Okay," Mayo said, nodding, "……Do you think I could catch a Pidgeotto?"
Uh…Maybe……
I thought of something…It was mean, but I wanted to see how they'd react.
Or…maybe we could head over to the creek and try to catch a water type Pokémon…
"A water-type Pokémon?" Misty exclaimed, "Now I have to come with you! Are there many good water types around Pallet?"
I didn't answer her. I was looking at Mayo. Her face had gone white.
"……Asha…" she whispered, "…I don't think that's a good idea……"
"Huh?" Misty asked, "What's wrong with water Pokémon?"
"N-nothing," Mayo said quickly, "Mm…I…just don't think there are any good water Pokémon in Pallet……They're all mostly Magikarp anyway…"
But they're strong Magikarp, I reminded her.
Misty gave me a look as if she thought I had gone crazy. Maybe I had. I didn't know why I was saying all of this stuff to Mayo anyway……
"…Asha, you didn't forget, did you?" she asked softly.
Forget? I asked so only she could hear, …No……I remember it very well……
I shrugged. Come on. We have to go try to catch something else anyway. Let's just walk around.
Mayo just nodded slightly. Misty still looked as if she thought the two of us were nutcakes, but she came along anyway. Pikachu, Persian and Eevee walked with us too.
"Perrrsiannn…" Persian muttered distastefully.
'I feel like a dog…'
I put my hand over my mouth to cover up my laughter. Pikachu did too, and Eevee just sort of giggled.
"…What's so funny?" Mayo asked.
"What did Persian say, Ash?" Misty asked.
"Nothing…just……"
"…Well?" Mayo asked impatiently.
"It just said it feels like a dog…" I answered.
Misty and Mayo both looked from me to the Pokémon and back.
"…I don't get it," Mayo announced.
"Me neither…" Misty said, "……must be an inside joke."
"……Or one for Pokémon only," she said with a laugh.
I shot Mayo a glare, then gave the same one to Misty too. They both shut up.
"Pe-errrrsiannnn," Persian complained, "…Persian, perr….siannn…"
'Well, I don't see what's so funny…All this walking around can't be healthy for anyone…'
"Don't worry about it, Persian," I said, "If Pikachu can handle it, then so can you!"
"Perrrrr…"
'I'm starting to wish I liked Pokéballs…'
"Pika!?"
'You can't be serious!'
"Perrrrrr…siann…"
'I didn't say that I like Pokéballs, Pikachu…It would just be easier than walking around all the time…'
"If I had to put you in a Pokéball, then you'd be at home right now and still in it."
Persian shuddered.
"Perrrsiaaan…"
'But at least I'd be home…'
…It already thinks of my home as its home……I wonder if it was that loyal to Giovanni……
Mayo moved so she was walking next to Misty.
"Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" she whispered.
"Not a clue," Misty whispered back.
Okay, fine. We came out here so she could catch a Pokémon, and she is going to catch a Pokémon!
"…Stay on the lookout for wild Pokémon, okay?" I said.
"…Not ferocious wild Persians and vicious electric mice, I hope," Mayo grinned.
"Huh?" Misty asked.
I just grinned. "Maybe…If we're lucky…we might find a Gyarados who likes to eat little girls who own Eevees!"
"Eek!"
"Eevee!"
Eevee jumped onto Mayo, and Mayo clung to Misty. In turn, Misty gave me the most bewildered look.
"I seriously doubt that we'll find any Gyarados in a little river," she said.
"I dunno……I did see one when I was……"
…Oops. Mayo doesn't know about that, and she doesn't need to……
"…When you were what?" she asked, suddenly serious.
I turned and started walking the other way.
"Nothing…I was just kidding, after all."
Don't tell her, Misty… I pleaded.
"……Pika!?"
'……What's that!?'
"What's what?" I asked.
"Pika…chu!?"
'Do you guys smell that?'
Persian sniffed the air.
"…Perrrr…"
'…Something's angry…'
Eevee clutched Mayo even tighter.
"Eeevveee…"
'Lots of things are angry…'
I couldn't risk Transforming back out in the open, so I relied on my other senses…At first, I couldn't see or hear anything, but I could feel so many angry……
…Spearows??
I opened my eyes, not realizing that I had closed them.
This is bad.
"We have to get out of here," I said quickly.
"Why?" Mayo asked nervously.
"Because I don't see any bikes nearby," I replied, then broke into a run in the direction we had come from.
"What!?" Misty asked in astonishment.
"Come on!!" I called back.
They followed after me shortly.
"Ash, what are we running from!?" Misty asked.
"Uh…Remember those Spearows?" I asked.
"What? You mean those ones that were chasing after you when you-"
"Yeah. Those are the ones," I answered before she could go into details.
I was tiring all too quickly. I had started out ahead of everyone else, but I was already starting to fall behind, and I was slowing our pace. We weren't running fast enough.
"Speeaaarrrrr!!!!"
"Oh great!" I muttered under my breath.
Mayo glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened when she saw just how many Spearows were following us.
"What do we do if they catch up to us!?" she cried in dismay.
Not if…when…
…Yeah, congratulations on being a positive thinker, Ash…
I slowed down even more, and finally stopped to catch my breath.
When Misty and Mayo noticed I wasn't with them anymore, they stopped too.
"Ash! Come on! They're almost here!" Misty told me.
I looked back. I could make out their beaks and talons and vengeful eyes…
"Fffeeeaaaarrrrr!!!!"
I snapped my head up to see a large figure swoop over the trees.
It's probably going to come back for another pass…
I didn't feel well. I was lightheaded and exhausted, but an idea was slowly forming…I stared down at Pikachu.
This might be my only hope.
I Transformed back into Mew, then into Pikachu just as quickly.
"Ash! What are you-!?"
"Pikachu!?" I asked Pikachu.
'Are you ready!?'
At first, I was afraid Pikachu hadn't understood me. Then it nodded.
"Pika…"
'I'm ready…'
"Speeaarrroww!!!"
Suddenly I was surrounded by a flurry of beaks and talons and beating wings and feathers flying all over the place. I was getting scratched all over and I didn't know how long I would last. I tried to use an electric attack, but it just fizzled into nothingness.
"Pikapi!!!" Pikachu cried, "PikaCHUUU!!!"
'Ash!!!'
A Thunderbolt attack drove off most of the nearby Spearows, but there were plenty more where those came from.
"Eeeevee!!!"
I looked over at Mayo and Eevee. Eevee was bravely trying to protect its master, but it was getting seriously injured in the process.
"Staryu!! Go!!"
All the Spearows by Misty quickly found themselves soaked.
"Pika CHUUUU!!!" Pikachu cried again, shocking any Spearows still brave enough to attack.
…They're still attacking…
"RRROOWWWWWWWW!!!!"
From up above the battle, Fearow was still ordering the Spearows to attack.
"Spear!!"
A single Spearow got past Pikachu and knocked me into a nearby tree with its Drill Peck.
"Pikachu!!!"
Pikachu blasted the Spearow and it flew away before it could do anything else.
"Pikapi!?"
'Are you okay!?'
Before I could nod, a group of Spearows attacked Pikachu. Pikachu Thundershocked them, but I could see that it was getting weak.
We've gotta try…Teleport…… I said to Pikachu.
Pikachu looked worried.
Do I really look that bad?
I Transformed again, into Mew.
"Pikachu!!"
'Don't do it Ash!!'
"Sian!!"
Persian leapt over Pikachu to swipe at a new batch of Spearows.
"Persiann, persiann…"
'We've gotta do something. They've got us surrounded…'
I'm gonna try Teleport.
"Pikachuu!"
'You can't, Ash!!'
I tried Teleport. I had to use all of my strength to even extend it out to everyone…and that left me exhausted. I collapsed against the tree, breathing heavily.
"Chuu…"
'I told you…'
"Speeeaarrrrrrrrrr!!!!"
Several Spearows dove down and pecked viciously at Pikachu and me. I couldn't do anything to defend myself…Pikachu finally zapped them away, but it had nearly run out of energy.
"EEEEVEEE!!!"
I looked up as far as I could. Eevee had just collapsed from exhaustion. Mayo hugged it tightly and tried to block the Spearows with her body.
"Rrrrattatataa!!"
'Get away, Spearows!!'
I didn't know she let Rattata out…
Rattata wasn't doing as bad as Eevee, but it was visibly weakening with each passing moment.
"Eeevee, EEEEEEEVVVVV!!!!!!" Eevee cried.
'Espeon, come to me!!!'
Mayo gasped as Eevee started to glow a brilliant white. It grew larger, and when the evolution light faded, Eevee had evolved into a violet Pokémon. It still had the big ears and big black eyes of all Eevee evolutions, but now the ears were wider, and it had round gem on its forehead. Instead of a mane, the fur at the sides of its neck was simply ruffed. Its tail was split into a y-shape, and wasn't fluffy anymore.
"Eevee…" Mayo whispered.
Eevee…I mean Espeon, slid carefully out of her grip, then licked her on the cheek.
"Essp…"
'I'm still yours…'
"FEEEEAAAARRRRRRRROWWWWW!!!!!!"
I lifted my head. Fearow was diving down at an incredible speed.
This is it…
I looked down. I did't want to see it when it hit me.
"Pika!"
'Ash!'
I heard the crackle of electricity, but it was too late.
"Espeon!!!"
'Asha!!!'
The Fearow was thudded aside as Espeon rammed into it with its Quick Attack. I peeked. Espeon was standing in front of me. Fearow had landed on the ground and was squawking at it.
"Feeaarrr!!! Fearoowwww!"
'Out of my way!!! This is between me and the Mew!'
…It knows that I evolved?
"Esp! Espeon!"
'He didn't do anything to you! Leave us all alone!'
"Feeearrr…"
'Yes he did…'
Fearow screeched once more than leapt at us.
Espeon!
A dark purple sphere surrounded Espeon, then a beam of light hit Fearow in the chest knocking it backwards. As we watched, a blue glow surrounded Fearow, then it was tossed back about thirty feet.
"Spearowspearowwww!!!"
Instead of surrendering, the Spearows flew down to avenge their leader's defeat.
"Esp! Espeon!!"
Espeon fought back bravely, alongside with Pikachu, Persian, Rattata, and Staryu, but there were just too many Spearows and we were already too weak.
Espeon…Espeon, listen…
Espeon paused for only a moment.
…Try to use Teleport…… I said, …I'll help you…
Espeon stared at me sadly. It knew I wasn't in any condition for a mass Teleport.
"…Speon…"
'…Let's try…'
I closed my eyes. I concentrated mostly on making sure Espeon was doing it right, but Espeon couldn't Teleport everyone by itself…especially not alone…